What is your strategy for weathering the storms of life that will surely come your way? Are you prepared? This was the topic on Sunday as we welcomed Jason Rathbun to share his testimony on life’s storms.

OUR GREATEST LEG- ACY? The funeral will be in three weeks. Not much time to make many changes. Perhaps just enough time, though, to say goodbyes, to thank family and friends for their kindness through the years, to tidy up financial matters. We all know the saying, “You can’t take it with you.” But we do leave memories behind. If this becomes my reality, or yours, what legacy will we leave behind for our family and friends? We don’t know if Paul was thinking about his legacy or not as he sat in a Roman prison, again, awaiting trial. However, he wrote to the Philippian Christians that the great desire of his heart was that “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (1:20). It appears that Paul survived this imprisonment and lived about two more years. Perhaps it was due to the pastor’s heart that the Lord had given him, but in this letter, the aged Paul left behind the greatest legacy that anyone could possibly leave. He tells these dear friends that the real hunger and thirst of his soul was “that I may know Him” (3:10). This is the one whom Jesus saved and transformed from being a pride-filled Pharisee to being the Apostle Paul. This is the man to whom the Lord showed His faithfulness through countless trials - lashings, beatings, being stoned and left for dead, shipwreck, hunger, thirst, sleep deprivation, false accusations, imprisonments, and on and on. This is Paul whom God used to leave behind 13 epistles. This is Paul who had spiritually walked with the Lord, hand in hand, for some 30 years. Yet what was STILL the longing in the heart and soul of this seasoned, spiritual warrior? “That I may know Him!” In his last letter, Paul instructed Timothy to bring him “the books, especially the parchments” (2 Tim. 4:13). Though near death, it seems clear that Paul purposed to leave behind a legacy of loving the Lord Jesus and of loving His Word! What will be our greatest legacy?

Several people: “The flowering trees around Stockton this spring are absolutely beautiful with Gina Muir’s tree a real standout!”.

(The following article is taken from the unapproved April 6th regular meeting minutes of the Stockton City Commission.) The first regular meeting of the month was called to order at 5:00 p.m. on April 6th, 2021 by Mayor Reesa Brown with the following commissioners being present: Nathan Glendening, Robert Becker, Adam Bryant and Jesica Kerr.

The Stockton Public Library Board met for its monthly meeting on Monday, April 12th and announced the library statistics for the month of March as follows: Patrons Using the Library—1,161, Library Materials Checked Out—770, Adults Utilizing Library—521, Children Utilizing Library—249, Interlibrary Loans Sent— 47, Interlibrary Loans Received—58, Story Time/ Out Reach Programs Served—42 Children and 20 Adults, Computer Users—168, Newspaper Readers—127, Reference Requests—70, Computer Training of Patrons—15, New Cards—2, e-book circulation for February—19 and hoopla—37.

(The following article is taken from the unapproved minutes of the March 15th Crossroads Quilt Guild meeting.) The meeting was called to order by vice-president Lynda Falley. The baby quilt for the New Year’s baby in Rooks County was presented to Mitchell and Shelby Kuhlmann and baby Avery.

The first call of the weekend answered by the Stockton Fire Department was for mutual aid to help the Woodston Fire Department at 28 and N Road at 11:00 a.m. with a control burn that had gotten away into a pasture on Saturday morning, April 3rd. That fire was contained within the hour with the Woodston Fire Department staying afterwares to help with the rest of the control burn. The Stockton crew was then called out again at 3:00 p.m. that afternoon to 16 Terrace to the Alton Hazen residence where a control burn got out of control and burned 15 of the cedar trees in their windbreak.

The February meeting for the Star 4-H Club was called to order on February 14, 2021, at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Roll Call was, “Who’s your Valentine” and was answered by 21 members and one leader. The Treasurer’s Report was given by Brin. A total of $2,122.25 is in the club’s account. There was no Reporter’s Report. The Leader’s Report was given by Andy. County Club Days will be Monday, March 15th. For the Junior Leader’s Report, the group talked about goodie bags for the hospital and day camps. There were no Communications. Committee Reports: The Livestock Committee discussed the Round Robin. Next meeting will be March 8th, at 6:30. There was no Old Business. For New Business, we discussed fundraising ideas. There were no bills to pay. For Program, Taigen and Ayden Kerr discussed how you should present your projects at the Fair. An example given at the meeting was presenting a cookie. The next meeting is March 14, 2021, via Zoom. Meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m.—Reporter, Garrison Mongeau

Harry Purdum: “Dream vacations can be a lot of fun. We dreamed of a vacation to Niagara Falls for four years, and actually took the vacation in 2017. We were able to do a lot of dreaming and planning in those four years. Our son and wife dreamed of going to Alaska. They went on a cruise vacation to Alaska in 2010 and then moved to Kodiak Island to live for three years in 2011. Enjoy your dream vacations—sometimes they do come true!”